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1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team

The 1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team competed in the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal, Canada, representing the United States of America. It was the first time the United States had fielded a women's basketball team in the Olympics.

1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team
Head coachBillie Moore
1976 Summer Olympics
← None
1984 →

The team was led by Cal State Fullerton's women's basketball coach Billie Moore and had four future Hall of Famers on the roster: Ann Meyers, Nancy Lieberman, Lusia Harris, and Pat Summitt (then called Pat Head).

Despite finishing second place behind the Soviet Union, the team is considered one of the most important in basketball history, paving the way for women's basketball to flourish in the United States. As a unit, the team was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Roster

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United States women's national basketball team – 1976 Summer Olympics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
F Cindy Brogdon 19 – (1957-02-25)February 25, 1957 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Mercer  
F Nancy Dunkle 21 – (1955-01-10)January 10, 1955 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Cal State Fullerton  
C Lusia Harris 21 – (1955-02-10)February 10, 1955 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Delta State  
G Pat Head 24 – (1952-06-14)June 14, 1952 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Tennessee–Martin  
C Charlotte Lewis 20 – (1955-09-10)September 10, 1955 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Illinois State  
G Nancy Lieberman 18 – (1958-07-01)July 1, 1958 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Old Dominion  
F Gail Marquis 21 – (1954-11-18)November 18, 1954 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Queens  
G Ann Meyers 21 – (1955-03-26)March 26, 1955 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) UCLA  
F Mary Anne O'Connor 22 – (1953-10-01)October 1, 1953 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Southern Connecticut  
F Patricia Roberts 21 – (1955-06-14)June 14, 1955 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Tennessee  
G Susan Rojcewicz 23 – (1953-05-29)May 29, 1953 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) Southern Connecticut  
G Juliene Simpson 23 – (1953-01-20)January 20, 1953 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) JFK  
Head coach

  Billie Moore

Assistant coach(es)
  Sue Gunter
Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on July 18, 1976
  • Source: [1]

Results

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Main article: Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics § Women's tournament

The first women's Olympic basketball tournament consisted of a single round-robin group, where the group rankings determined the final standings. The Soviet team went undefeated and won the gold medal. The U.S. team won the silver medal through a victory over the Bulgarian team, which served as the tiebreaker between the two teams in favor of the U.S. team.[2]

Legacy

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In 2023, the 1976 US Olympic women's basketball team was elected as a unit to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The election made it only the ninth team to be so honored.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Time Capsule: Women made first Olympic splash at Montreal Games in 1976". FIBA. March 8, 2021.
  2. ^ "1976 Olympic Games Tournament for Women: Group Standings". FIBA Archive.
  3. ^ Brennan, Clare (August 11, 2023). "The 1976 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team Forever Changed Sports". Sports Illustrated.
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